Computer Integrated Manufacturing CIM comprises a wide variety of activities which are computer-assisted in a company and comprises, in particular, CAD, Computer Aided Design, and CAM, Computer Aided Manufacturing. Computer Aided Manufacturing CAM denotes the use of control software, which is independent of a CMT machine, to create a control code. Conventional CAD systems have the possibility of creating 3-D CAD data models of components, which data models form the basis for manufacturing these components. In order to expand the functionality, such programs usually have an interface which can be used to integrate further functionalities, so-called plug-ins. In order to be able to manufacture products, in particular components, in an automated manner as far as possible, the CAD system can already decide, during the creation of the CAD drawings, on the basis of which material and which manufacturing technology the affected product or component in the form of a 3-D drawing is intended to be manufactured.
However, in conventional systems, a flexibility problem exists to the effect that, at such an early time, that is to say during the creation of the CAD drawings, all information relating to the product or component to be manufactured is usually not yet available. Furthermore, manufacturing-relevant information, for example machine utilization of the manufacturing machines, a delivery location of the manufactured product or component, a current order situation for the manufacturing of the product or component and information relating to the machine and tool state, is not yet available at this early time and becomes available only later, in particular during manufacturing. Since, however, the optimum stipulation of the material used and of the manufacturing technology used is necessary for optimum manufacturing of a product or component, conventional CIM systems operate only in a suboptimal manner. In addition, a situational change to other materials or machines or manufacturing technologies during manufacturing is possible in conventional CIM systems only by redesigning the CAD drawings provided by the CAM system.
In addition to the above-mentioned flexibility problem, conventional CIM systems also have a quality problem since decisions to be made on the basis of the design and manufacturing of the product or component depend on a multiplicity of complex influencing factors which are dependent on one another. However, in conventional CIM systems, only experts trained in this have the associated knowledge and the corresponding information, which experts are not available on site in many cases. Therefore, many design decisions with regard to the product or component to be manufactured are made only in a suboptimal manner, in which case an optimum manufacturing variant or manufacturing alternative for manufacturing the product or component remains mostly disregarded, in particular.